The Failure to Obtain Home-produced Fuel.
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ON ANOTHER PAGE of this issue we give publicity to the views of the Editor of " Oil News," a man who is very qualified to con.Bider, and form an opinion on, so highly important a subject as that of the failure, preventable or otherwise, to commence the production of mineral oils in large quantities from the presumed sources underlying the soil in this country. . Whilst we have given this publicity, it must not necessarily be held that we fully and completely endorse the views therein expressed. Whether some sort of inquiry is held depends entirely, of course, on the views of the Government, but without doubt from the point of view of the enlightenment of the public in such an important matter as this, an inquiry is most desirable.
One interesting point which we would like to raise-is this: what are the true motives that underlie the efforts of the commercial advocates of low-temperature distillation to obtain materials and labour at a time when the Government's official view is that superior yields of oil, gas and by-products can be obtained from existing plant at gasworks with slight structural modification and by the use of superheated steam?
We have heard it asserted that financial disappointment, in respect of projected schemes which have been vetoed departmentally, is being given vent with .a dangerous disregard of scientific fact? Only at a full inquiry would it be possible to test such a statement. It is admittedly difficult to obtain yields from native deposits of shale or from borings in supposedly petroliferous areas at home with the present state of man power and the natonal order of priority of materials.
Lord Cowdray's name has been brought into this matter because of his offer to undertake experimental borings. We think we are not going too far in saying that, whatever the political difficulties may have been, Lord Cowdray has been able to make the maximum progress in the collection of plant and in making other preparations to proceed.
The Government may know all the facts but, for all that, we think that it would be wise to'hold an inquiry into what is claimed to be a failure to produce fuel from home sources that is absolutely vitalboth for the Navy and for transport purposes. As to the constitution of the Committee of Inquiry, it is, without question, important that a representative of the transport industry should be included upon it, for the commercial vehicle transport of this country is in bulk the largest user of oil fuels and its interests need to be fully safeguarded.
Encourage the Steam Wagon.
IT IS OUR firmly-held opinion that the Minister of Munitions should, at the present time, look with the utmost favour on any proposal for the extension . of existing steam wagon works. Both general and particular reasons exist for this course. The steam wagon uses a home-produced fuel, and in many cases coke. Where coke is used, it fits the policy of the Coal Controller, who is ready to give three tons of coke in place of two tons of coal, and it fits the policy of the gasworks undertakings who are already, in some areas, finding that coke is a glut on their hands. The output of explosives cannot be maintained if any single by-product should become proportionately unmarketable.
The steam wagon affords a highly economical form of haulage. It is the only branch of the heavy-motor industry upon which the Road Transport Board may rely for output which is not ear-marked in advance by the military authorities. The army will continue— and musf continue—to take the bulk of its deliveries in petrol-driven vehicles, because the major strength of A.S.C. drivers has been trained to handle petrol vehicles, and is not trained to handle the steath. wagon.
Each steam wagon, considered as a unit, provides a rather higher transport, perforbtance than all but the largest petrol lorries, especially when a trailer is used. The steam wagon has been given a great fillip, and if only it can be assisted to avail itself of it in the way of increased production, it should take a very much higher place in motor transport than it has yet held. A steam wagon does not make the demand for such high-grade materials as are required in the construction of petrol lorries, although, however, this must not be taken as a reflection on the class of material used or its suitability for its purpose. There is every reason, therefore, why the Government should do all that is possible to encourage the production of the steam wagon in larger quantities.
Outlook for Omnibuses.
HE NATIONAL NEED for more public passenger services cannot be questioned. The present position of Greater-London traffic shows that the Metropolitan area can turn to account at least 6000 motorbuses, so BOOn as the war shall be over. Most of these would no doubt come from the works of the Associated Equipment Co., the output of which, we understand, is averaging over 120 vehicles per week. It is:probable that for the provinees at least another 6000 will be wanted, and motor manufacturers would do well to put their remaining a21
salesmen (or principals) on to the scent of this prospective business.
Our estimate takes into account the fact that Section 20 of the Local Government (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1916, runs for a period of one year after the war, and is applicable to only those routes which were regularly worked during the month-of March, 1916. Many of these routes, upon which public passenger vehicles may travel independently of the demand for local tolls and subject only to the petrol tax of one halfpenny per mile, are now in fact only carrying nucleus or skeleton services. The public are the sufferers, and we believe that the cry of "the Roads for the People," which has been advanced in our columns on several previous occasions in past years, will be strong enough to overcome retrogressive tendencies.
Existing centres of population, both urban and rural,, will require all the 12,000 motorbuses estimated by us as being wanted, but a still larger outlet for now vehicles undoubtedly exists, if but potential for the moment, in respect of numerous areas for which the Local Government Board and the Ministry of Reconstruction are preparing housing and allied programmes. It is obviously useless to provide fresh living accommodation other than in conjunction with the means of transport for the inhabitants and their commodities. Are any of our societies or trade bodies moving in the direction of educative and propaganda work on behalf of the transport industry? Never did a better opportunity exist to place the collective vote of labour on the side of both the motorbus and the motor van!
Another bright spot in the outlook for motorbus interests is found in the bad physical state of tramway undertakings. There will be a world demand for steel rails, and it is a matter of public knowledge that British railways are to have first call on supplids from home rolling mills. We forecast that the tramway undertakings in this country, both municipal and private, will turn to the motorbus for relief. They will adopt this remedy in the first instance as a temporary measure, but we are convinced that . the inherent merits of the independent and self-contained motor omnibus will convert that temporary expedient into a permanent institution. Now is the time for our manufacturers to state their case and offer their productions.
The Motor Vehicle in War.
FROM TIME TO TIME there have. appeared in the columns of the daily Press articles which were evidently prepared under official auspices or with official approval dealing with certain phases of the war. As a typical instance, we may refer to some series of articles which were evidently intended to counteract the absurd tendency which was noticeable in some quarters to inquire what the Navy was doing, merely because the work of the Navy was not spectacular or such as to commend itself to the descriptive writer seeking to create an easy sensation. In these respects the work of the motor vehicle and those in charge of it may be fairly compared with that which has gone on upon the sea. "The daily round, the common task" of the motor lorry at the Front does not; from the sensational standpoint, compare with many other episodes of warfare. Nevertheless, its continuance is a matter of supreme importance. Those who have read what contributors to this journal have had to tell them cannot fail to have realized that there is very much of interest to be told as regards the work of the motor transport columns. However, it is our function to appeal to those who are directly and personally interested in the -use and operation of motor vehicles and not so much or so directly to the uninformed public.
At the same time, the uninformed public can exert a great influence upon the future of the commercial vehicle. Much depends upon whether the general 322
• . attitude adopted is friendly or antagonistic. An appreciation of what the motor has done for the country would help to mould public opinion upon the right lines. It would also help to show something of the efficiency of those departments which have been concerned with the supply and use of motor transport and to indicate how a typical progressive industry has developed its production to meet the national needs in a time of great crisis. Consequently, it seems to us that all the circumstances taken together would fully justify the Ministry of Information in taking steps for the preparation and publication of lightly written articles which, while admittedly readable, would serve as some immediate evidence of the solid utility of the motor vehicle in war.
There are men at the Front who have been obliged, so to speak, to specialize in a general study of the whole of our mechanical transport, and who combine with sound knowledge, the pen of the ready writer. We su,s,gest that the Government would do well to appoint a. man with these qualifications and to put upon him the duty of preparing a series of articles (separate and distinct from the history now being prepared for publication after the war) designed to show how the motor industry and its products, backed by the skill and energy of the A.S.C., M.T., has made itself responsible for a performance, which, if prosaic in detail, is still in the aggregate great and,
• in a, sense, romantic.
Woman's Wages and Her Future Employment.
INCE OUR LAST issue, in which we wrote briefly of the London traffic strike troubles,
pfincipally on the, score of our endeavour to make historical record of all happenings pertaining directly or indirectly to the industry, other developments have, of course, occurred culminating in the award of an extra five shillings a week to women employees on the buses and tubes. Cavalierly, and apparently with little if any care for the convenience of a hardly stressed public, the women workers belonging to the L.G.O.C. and many of the tubes, have taken various days off to emphasize their insistence of equal pay for equal work, winding up with a decision to take a day's holiday to "celebrate their victory."
It has become increasingly obvious during the period that has elapsed that there is more in the support of the men for the women's claim than the latter suspect. There is coming a. time, in the not very distant future, when the prior claims of men to employment, while there are men to employ, and particularly while there are discharged and disabled soldiers and sailors for whom to find occupation, will have to be taken into consideration by all users of labour. If women are to cost as much as men in the labour market with their natural physical disabilities, there will be no question as to the choice. The matter will settle itself in most cases where the employer is concerned. There will, of course, be exceptions, but they will be rare.
Male labtur is at present taking care that it is not under bid, but in doing so it is also taking care that there should be no cheaper alternative when.the supplies of help are once again equal to or even m excess of requirements.
It is not apparent that the women who are hastily and with little consideration raising a panic cry of "equal pay for equal work" appreciate that they are slamming the door to their much wider employment in the future by th'eir insistence, nor that there is much male satisfaction at the fact.. The matter is, of course, a much wider one than a claim by the London bus conductors and tram and tube employees; it is one of national interest. The Committee on Production, while awarding the five shillings claimed by thb bus,. tram and tube women, recommends an examination of the whole question by a Government Committee. That Committee has now been appointed with Mr. Justice Atkin as chairman,
and consists of two lawyers and two women, one of whom is a doctor. It would have appeared not undesirable to have had at least one member who had practical first-hand knowledge of employment as an employer.
Post-war Types and Prices.
IT IS OFTEN suggested that the British motor manufacturer ought to tell the public, and particularly to communicate to his agents in the oversee markets, his intentions as regards his afterwar types and the prices at which they are to be sold. It is certainly very important that the main facts in these connections should be made known as promptly as possible. The exact details of after-war types cannot., of course, be finally decided until the last moment.
Meanwhile, experience continues to accumulate, and may dictate or suggest alterations which would entirely upset any attempt to forecast intentions very exactly. This limitation does not, however, apply to any great extent to the broad features of design, and, now that it appears that the Government is really going to enable manufacturers to obtain materials and facilities for the construction and testing of experimental vehicles, we may hope that no long interval will elapse before it is possible at least to outline the main intentions of the industry. The question of price is a very different thing. This depends upon a number of factors which cannot possibly be determined as yet. For example, it is possible for the Government, by injudicious and incon siderate action in connection with surplus military vehicles, so to dislocate the manufacturers' markets as to upset all calculations. If we have no idea of the extent of the output of a given type of vehicle, then we cannot readily assess the selling price of that type. We might perhaps assume, however, that manufacturers will take all risks that are in their way, and will plan for an output up to the full extent of their much enlarged factories. In that ease there would be no great difficulty in arriving at a fairly accurate statement of price if any certainty existed on the one hand as to the cost and supplies of material, and on the other hand as to the cost and efficiency of labour.
There does not appear to be any likelihood of a serious post-war shortage of the materials that are needed in the largest quantity, as the requirements of the motor industry, though considerable, are small when compared with the requirements of certain other industries in respect of iron and steel. There is more doubt as to the adequacy of the supplies of some of the lesser materials during the first few months, and it is in connection with these that foresight and energy may be necessary to make sure that the industry is not left in the lurch. Whatever may be the difficulties with' regard to materials, the doubts and dangers in respect of labour are infinitely greater. Here there can be no doubt about 'the quantity, and the quality is all right provided that it can be utilized. Everything depends on whether labour ultimately decides to throw overboard the ()Id suicidal policy of restricted output.